Our take: NCAA March Madness headed to Orlando

November 14, 2012

Getting in the game

March Madness brought some November gladness to Central Florida this week when the NCAA announced that Orlando's Amway Center would be one of the venues for the 2014 Division I men's basketball tournament.

Dozens of cities were competing for games. Orlando will join seven others as sites for second- and third-round contests. It's an impressive group that includes San Antonio, San Diego and St. Louis.

The president of the Central Florida Sports Commission told the Sentinel that the games would pump about $11 million into the region's economy. That's a modest total compared with the estimated $95 million that the NBA All-Star Game at the Amway Center generated in February, but still a welcome infusion of cash for a community that can always use more business.

The games also will showcase Orlando for TV viewers — and potential visitors — watching around the country.

Central Florida leaders behind the 2007 deal to build a $485million arena in downtown Orlando vowed it would attract marquee events to the region. It's good to see taxpayers getting more of that promised return on their investment.

The Sports Commission teamed up with Orlando, Orange County, the University of Central Florida and Stetson University to land the NCAA games for the Amway Center. These players should consider the 2014 games a tryout for more tournament games in the future — higher rounds would be even better — as well as other major events. They need to make sure they do things right in 2014.